Marketing Terms

A/B Testing

A term used to describe the technique for testing two versions of a webpage in which traffic is split 50/50 to two versions of the same web page, ad, or email to determine which of the two options provides a better outcome.

Above the Fold

A newspaper term for the top half of the front page which can also be used to describe the section of a webpage that can be viewed without needing to scroll down the page.

Ad Copy

The text of an online ad.

Ad Group

A technical term that describes a cluster of
keywords and ads within a PPC campaign. A shoe retailer might have
“sneaker” and “running shoe” campaigns, and then use brands to define ad groups
within each campaign. This way a user searching “Nike sneakers” can see an ad
tailored to them, while a user searching “New Balance running shoes” will see
an ad specific to their search.

Ad Impression

Often described as an ad view, an
impression is counted every time an ad loads for an individual user on a web
page. Note: if the ad’s position is not above the fold, the user may not
actually view the ad.

Ad Space

The section of a webpage that is reserved for advertisements.

Advertising Network

Companies that manage advertising networks
connect the buyers and sellers of ad space, often in real time through a
bidding system. Website owners can work with one or more advertising networks
to fill their ad space with the most profitable ads. Advertisers work with ad
networks to place their ads on websites which are likely to attract their
customer demographic and/or include content relevant to their product.
Different networks excel in different types of targeting, and a good web
marketing agency can pick the network that’s best for you.

Analytics

Software which reports on a variety of metrics
to help site owners determine how visitors are interacting and engaging with
website content. Analytics is an extremely important part of website optimization because it provides the metrics for understanding website problem areas and
also measure improvement after content is changed.

Anchor Text

The text that makes up a hyperlink.

Animated GIF

When a series of images are played through in
sequence creating a repeating animation.